Drain hose construction for laundry machines



Feb. 14, 1939. T. J. L|TLE JR 2,147;124

DRAIN HOSE CONSTRUCTION FOR LAUNDRY MACI IINBS Filed July 9, 1937 INVENTEIH ATTURNEY- Patented Feb. 14, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DRAIN HOSE CONSTRUCTION FOR LAUNDRY MACHINES Application July 9, 1937, Serial No. 152,800

5 Claims.

.My invention relates to laundry machines and more particularly to a novel gooseneck and valve construction for the drain hose of a laundry machine.

In the laundry machines of the prior art, it has been customary to employ a flexible hose connected to the pump of the laundry machine by which fluid may be pumped from the washing vat to an external vessel or, in certain cases, from the drying vat back into the washing vat. Such a construction is shown, for example, in Geldhof Patent No. 1,977,578 issued October 16, 1934. As shown in this patent, the outer end of the hose is equipped with a metal gooseneck provided with a valve. The gooseneck and its valve are rather expensive to manufacture and, moreover, the valve in the location shown in this patent is difficult to clean due to the fact that it is remote from and on the opposite side of the curve from the end of the gooseneck.

An object of my invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive hose and valve construction for a laundry machine. More specifically, my invention contemplates the provision of a flexible hose for draining a laundry machine, the end of which is-provided with a metal form by which the hose may be heldin a gooseneck shape, and the provision of 'a butterfly type of valve supported by the metal form located at the very end of the hose in a convenient position for operation and in a convenient position toenable lint and clothes fibers to be removed from the valve.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be more apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a laundry machine employing a drain hos-e embodying the novel gooseneck and valve construction of my invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the gooseneck and showing the fingerpiece for operating the valve. 7

Figure 3 is a view taken on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a view showing the parts of the valve.

The laundry machine in which my novel gooseneck and valve construction is embodied comprises a washing vat II and a drying vat l2 mounted in juxtaposition on a common support, generally indicated by the numeral l3. The

laundry machine is provided with suitable legs I4 having casters by which the machine may be conveniently moved from place to place. The washing and drying vats may be closed by suitable covers l6 and II, respectively. ,5 For draining the washing fluid from the washing vat and for draining the fluid extracted from the clothes and returning it to the washing vat or to an external vessel, it is customary to employ a pump (not shown) to which is connected 10 a flexible hose 18 of rubber or rubber composition. As a convenientmeans of retaining the hose on the machine when not in use, it is customary to provide the end of the hose with a gooseneck so that the end of the hose may be 13 hooked over the top of the washing vat, as illustrated in Figure 1, or hooked into an aperture usually provided in the cover l6 of the washing vat.

In the drain hose constructions of the prior 20 art, it has been customary to use a metal gooseneck which is secured in the end of the hose. This construction, illustrative of which is the device shown in the above mentioned Geldhof patent, is rather expensive. In my novel gooseneck and valve construction, a metal form is is provided which is bent into a gooseneck shape. In cross section, the gooseneck is semi-circular in shape. The ends of the gooseneck are provided with clamping portions 2i and 22 which, :after the hose has been bent around the gooseneck so that approximately half of the hose'is encompassed by the metal form, may be bent into the position shown in Figure 2 so that the hose is rigidly maintained in gooseneck shape.

In the end of the metal form at the clamping portion 22 and on the open end of the gooseneck, apertures 23 and Mare provided through which extends a shaft 26. The shaft 26 also extends through apertures formed in the side Walls 40 near the end of the hose. The apertures in the hose are made somewhat smaller in diameter than the diameter of the shaft 26. In assemblingv the valve, it is therefore necessary to force the shaft through the hose openings so that the hose will tightly grip the shaft and minimize the possibility of leakage along the shaft.

One end of the shaft is provided with a fingerpiece 2! by which the shaft may be rotated to operate a butterfly valve plate 28 mounted on the shaft. The opposite end of the shaft projects into a thimble 29. The thimble has flanged portions 3| which lie between the outer surface of the rubber hose and the inner surface of the u metal form. The thimble aids in preventing leakage of fluid outward along the shaft.

As shown more clearly in Figure 5, the butterfly valve plate 28. is oval or elliptical in shape so that it will engage the side walls of a rubber hose of, within limits, various diameters. valve were circular'it would of course form a tight closure only with a hose of the same diameter as the diameter :of the valve. With an elliptical valve plate, the outer edge of the plate, at all points, engages the walls of the hose in a plane extending at an angle to the axis of the hose. After the valve has been operated a few times, a seat is formed on the inside of the hose insuring water-tight closure.

The valve plate 28 is provided with a half round opening 32 and a second half round opening 33 opposed thereto through which the shaft 26 extends, The end of the shaft has a slot 34 into which extends the flat portion 36 of the valve plate. The valve plate is thus rigidly held on the shaft and, upon operation of the fingerpiece 21, the valve may be rotated.

Of particular advantage in my construction is the simple and convenient way in which the valve is supported in the metal form of the gooseneck. Moreover, of particular importance is the fact that the valve is at the very end of the hose. Lint and fibre abraded from the clothes during washing are carried along in the stream of water upon emptying the vat. 'The lint caught in the valve, may be easily cleaned therefrom as it is a simple matter to insert an instrument in the end of the hose and pick out the lint.

It will be apparent that I have provided a simple gooseneck and valve construction for the hose of a laundering machine which is economical to manufacture and which may be readily assembled. It will further be apparent that various changes and modifications may be made in the form and relation of the parts without departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a hose construction suitable for use in draining fluid from a laundry machine, a flexible hose, a metal form around which the hose is bent and held in gooseneck shape by the form, and a valve in said hose adjacent the end thereof and in the open end of said gooseneck, said valve being at least partially supported by said metal form. a g

If the 2. In a hose construction suitable for use in draining fluid from a laundry machine, a flexible hose, a metal form around which the hose is bent and held in gooseneck shape by the form, and a valve in said hose adjacent the end thereof and in the open end of said gooseneck, said valve being of the oval butterfly type and being at least partially supported by said metal form.

3. In a hose construction suitable for use in draining fluid from a laundry machine, a flexible hose, a metal form around which the hose is bent into a gooseneck shape, said metal form throughout most of its length being substantially semi-circular in shape, and having adjacent its end a clamp portion which may be bent around the hose into substantially a circular clamping portion, a shaft supported by said form extending through the hose and a butterfly valve supported in the hose closely adjacent the end thereof by said shaft.

4. In a hose construction suitable for use in draining fluid from a laundry machine, a flexible hose, a metal form around which the hose is bent into a gooseneck shape, said metal form throughout most of its length being substantially semi-circular and having adjacent its ends clamp portions which may be bent around the hose into substantially circular clamping parts, one of said clamping parts being closely adjacent the end of the hose, a shaft supported adjacent the clamp part near the end of the hose and extending through the hose, a butterfly valve of oval shape supported on said shaft, a handle on one end of said shaft for operating the valve, and a thimble for receiving the other end of the shaft and having flange portions lying between the metal form and the hose for preventing leakage at this point.

5. In a hose construction suitable for use in draining fluid from a laundry machine, a flexible hose, a shaft extending through the flexible walls of the hose, the hose walls engaging the shaft to form substantially a water seal, a butterfly valve on said shaft, said valve being oval V in shape and being adapted to cut into and form a. seal against the flexible walls of the hose, said valve being located closely adjacent the end of the hose to enable a pick to be inserted in the open end of the hose for the convenient cleaning of the valve.

THOMAS J. LITLE, JR. 

